Sri Lanka Tourist
Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Market Development Facility of Australia
(MDF) have joined forces to establish a research roadmap to encourage the role
of Sri Lanka as the leading tourism destination in Asia. The strategic plan will
surface the way for a deeper understanding of Sri Lankan visitors and help the
public sectors make evidence-based tourism decisions and investments.
This initiative is
the earliest time that Sri Lanka has conducted a systematic review to assess
the efficacy and use of SLTDA's data collection efforts. In position with the
goals set out in Sri Lanka's Tourism Strategic Plan, SLTDA established the need
for better value data and research to enhance the strategic direction of Sri
Lanka's tourism sector.
"The objective
of SLTDA is to recognize a diverse range of visitors, tourism services, and
products that would make Sri Lanka a top global tourism destination," said
Kimarli Fernando, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism. "As the primary agency
for gathering, analyzing, and publishing tourism-related data, we plan to use
this roadmap to update SLTDA's research capabilities and practices to identify
new investment, promotion, and policy opportunities," she added.
A global
consultancy will work closely with SLTDA to review existing research processes
and practices and perform a gap analysis through funding given by MDF, the
flagship private sector development program for the Australian Government. They
have decided on a five-year plan focusing on enhancing the collection, research,
and use of tourism data will establish.
The roadmap
outlines a series of steps to be taken over the next five years to put Sri
Lanka Tourism's potential to the levels followed globally by leading tourism
destinations. Australia's participation in this study is part of its more
comprehensive support to the Sri Lankan tourism industry through MDF, which, in
collaboration with Swisscontact, is supported by the Australian Government and
implemented by Palladium.
Australia has
extended support to SLTDA in the past to expand its research potential by
facilitating a study tour with Tourism Research Australia (TRA) for SLTDA
employees. Implementing the five-year research roadmap will strategically
support Sri Lanka Tourism and the brotherhood of the tourism industry with
data-driven, informed decision-making that will help them with target marketing
while allowing higher ROI for resources and investments. It also expects that
the initiative will enable the National Tourism Organization (NTO) and industry
stakeholders to respond effectively to the current global travel and tourism
industry standards.
OSL Take: Sri
Lanka's tourism industry is on a continuous growth path with tourist arrivals
to the country also on the increase. Sri Lanka continues to list as a must-visit
destination by globally renowned travel publications. All this has stemmed from
a rise in foreign investments in the country's tourism industry. The continuous
growth in Sri Lanka's tourism industry has further expanded the business
potential in the country's leisure and hospitality sectors.
Once the plan is in
place, the corporate/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka's tourism industry
would further expand. Therefore Sri Lanka's tourism industry would become a
hotspot for business opportunities. Sri Lanka continues to list as a must-visit
destination by globally renowned travel publications.
VBS/AT/23102020/Z_TB5
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